Feeler mechanism for looms



I. SNOW.

FEELER MEcHANlsM 'Fon Loo'Ms.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I., 1320. 1,387,322.l Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

H ||n um IIIIIIIIIIIIIII -.zw-Jae UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC SNOW, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF .I-IOPEDALE, IMASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIONYOF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed March 1,

To all w tomt may conce/m Be it known that I, IsAao Snow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massa,

chusetts, have invented an Improvement iny Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the Adrawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms whereby the filling in Vthe shuttle maybe replenished prior to comthereagainst, on a detecting beat, or by means of mechanical devices which act upon the feeler. The present invention .relates more particularly to feeler mechanisms of thefrst-mentioned type, that is, where the frontward pressure upon the feeler member effec-ts side swipe or lateral movement. of such member when the fillingis substantially exhausted.

The feeler mechanism must` be sensitive` either to the presence or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle, andmust be responsive to either condition, either to prevent or to cause filling re lenishment. Should the feeler mechanism call a change prior to the time when the filling in the shuttle has reached a substantial degree of exhaustion, the amount of waste incident to the change of the .filling would be large and objection-v able.A On the other hand, shouldthe feeler mechanism fail to call a. change while there still remain suflicient filling in the shuttle to lay a fulllength of filling in theshed, defective cloth is liable to beproduced.

One of the object sof the present invention, therefore, is to lprovide a side swipe feeler mechanism wherein thel feeler is given its side swipe or lateral movement longi tudinally of the shuttle by frontward pressure when the filling is substantially exhausted, and wherein, also,` the parts' aren simple in construction and sensitive both to,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented' Aug. 9, 1921.

1920. serial No. 362,379.

the presence and substantial absence of filling in the shuttle.

The present feeler mechanism embodies a feeler which is yieldingy held rearwardly in its feelingv positionV and with permissive movement frontwardly and in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. 'Associated and combined with the feeler is a defiector which, on a detecting beat, tends toeffect side swipe or lateral movement of the feeler, and is prevented from accomplishing this object by engagement of the feeler with the working supply of filling in the shuttle and to ,effect such movement when the filling is rsubstantially exhausted.

The features of the present invention and the novel combinationof partswill best be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings of one good,

practical form of the invention. K In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the' feeler sidey of the loom, some of the parts being4 broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached plan view showing the action of the feelermechanism when a working .supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat;

Fig. 8 isa view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing theV relation of parts when the fill ing` is substantially exhausted.

The loom frame l may be of usual or appropriate construction for supporting the operating parts. Secured thereto are the bearing brackets 2, one at each side of the loom for supporting the transverse orrock shaft which is normally under the influence 'of a spring, not shown,l forturning it contraclockwise into the position indicated in Fig. l. The parts so far describedl are of usual construction, and further ampli- `fication is,k unnecessary.

)Secured to and rising Yfrom the transverse or rock shaft B is the arm 4', to the upper "end of which isV pivotally connected at 5 the latch 6, the rear end of which, as at 7,

Vis adapted to be engaged by an operating 'member 8 atV times as will Vhereinafter ap au4 Y The loom frame has extended [therefrom f the shipper stand 9, from which projects the slotted bracket 10. Mounted adjustabiy on the bracket 1G by means of the adjusting bolt 11, which passes through the slot 12 is a bracket 13.

vlhe bracket 13 supports the feeler sta-nd, and in the present instance the feeler stand 1-1 comprises a plate having a front and rear upwardly7 bent end portion. rllhe feeler stand is adjustably connected to the bracl-et 13 by means of the bolts 15 which pass through a suitable slot 13 formed in the feeler stand, the construction being suh that upon manipulation of the bolts or grooves 15, the feeler stand may be adjusted toward and from the front of the loom.

The flange 17 extending upwarilly from the feeler stand is provided with a slot 13 extending laterally thereof, and with an opening 19, for the purposes as will presently appear.

The front flange orprojection 2O which extends upwardly from the feeler stand is provided with the openings 21 and 22. Mounted for reciprocating movement in the openings in the front and rear flanges or lugs is a feeler member 23, the rear end portion 24 of which is provided with teeth for engagement with a surface within the shuttle on a detecting beat. A spring normally holds the feeler 23 in its rearward position, and in the present instance the spring 25 is interposed between a shoulder 26 formed on the feeler and the front flange 20, the con struction being such that the spring 25 normally effects movement of the feeler into its rearward position, but permits frontward movement thereof on a detecting beat. rl`he feeler is provided with a stop to limit its rearward niovement, and in the present in stance such stop is formed as apin 26, Fig. 1, which engages the front flange 2O when the feeler is in its rearward position.

Mounted for reciprocating movement in the front and rear flanges 20and 17 respeo tively, and substantially in parallel relation with the feeler 23 is the deflector 27 which. on each detecting beat, exerts a yielding influence upon the feeler to move it in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. In the present instance of the invention. the deflector 27 is provided with a shoulder 28 between which and the front flange 20 is a spring `29 normally acting to hold the defleiftor 2T in its rearward position. A stop 3() limits the rearward movement of the deliector 27 by engaging the front flange 20.

The rear end portion of the deflector l27 has an inclined surface which engages with a part carried by the feeler as the latter is pushed frontwardly by a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, the tendency of such incline being to move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle. In the present illustrated form of the invention,y the rear end portion of the deflector is turned laterally at 31, and has the rearwardly and laterally inclined surfaces 32 and The portion 31 of the deflector, in the present instance, passes through an opening 34 in the feeler, the construction being such that should the feeler 23 be pushed frontwardly, it would engage the rear inclined surface 32 of the deflector and have imparted to it tendency to move laterally. Likewise, on the rearward movement of the feeler, when it has been previously moved laterally or to the left, Fig. 1, the incline 33 acts to restore the feeler to its initial feeling position.

ln order that the lateral movements of the feeler may be properly limited, the ond portion 31 of the deflector is provided with a stop at one side of thefeeler member and a stop 36 at the other side thereof, the

construction being such that the lateral lor side movement of the feeler will be limited by the stops 35 and 36.

The lay, as usual, carries the shuttle box 37, the front wall of which is slotted at 38 to register with a corresponding slot 39 in the front wall of the shuttle 40 when the latter is properly boxed. The shuttle l0 carries the usual filling carrier or bobbin L11 on which the filling 42 is wound.

rlhe slot 34 in the feeler 'acts as a guide which provides a frontand a rear surface or wall for engagement with the incline surfaces of the defiector upon relative movement of the feeler lmember and deflector. ln the present instance, the guide or slot 3d has its rear wall preferably inclined, as best indicated at 13, Figs.A 2 and 3, and its front wall similarly inclined, as indicated at 44:, the construction being such that should *the feeler 23 be moved frontwardly, the leading of the wall 113 in the feeler will travely frontwardly in contact with the inclined surfaces 32 of the deflector, and if the filling is v absent or substantially absent from the sliuttle, the effect of the incline 32 will betotmove the' feeler laterally as it moves frontwardly.

Similarly, when the feeler moves rearwardly after a detecting beat, theV leading edge of' the wall d4 will ride along the inclined' surface 33 of the deflector after the latter comes to rest in its rearward position, and effect lateralV movement of the feeler toward its rtrue feeling position as indicated in Figs. 1 and r2.

The present invention utilizes this side or lateral movement of the feeler for 46 a link or rod 45, the other end of which is connected at47 to a bell crank lever 48 `pivof the feeler member 23 laterally to the lett,

g effecting replenishment of filling, and in the present Vinstance the feeler has connected thereto at tion as indicated in Fig. l.

^ lateral movement of the feeler.

llilhen a working supply of filling is present in a"shuttle on a detecting beat, the toothed end 24 of the feelerwill engage and sink into the filling as the lay moves frontwardly, and will hold the feeler 23 from lateral movement due to the pressure between the guide 34 and the incline surface of the deflector, as the two move frontwardly. When, however, the filling` is substantially kexhausted. on a detecting beat, as indicated in Fig. 3, the filling will no longer be able to hold the feeler from lateral movement due to the f'rontward pressure against it as the lay beats up, and the leading edge of the wall of the feeler will ride along the incline surface of the deflector, due to the frontward pressure against the fe-eler, and effect This latkyeral movement will be transmitted through the connection 45 of the bell crank 48 and cause replenishment of filling when the operating 8 moves frontwardly. Y

Since the feeler member not only moves frontwardly, but has also a lateral movement, the guide bearing 2l in the front fiange 2O is made rounded and of sufficient size to permit such lateral movement of the feeler, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

What is claimed is: c

l. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler and a deflector each mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, one of said members having an inclined surface which is engaged by the other member and tends to movethe feeler laterally under the frontward pressure against the feeler on a def tecting beat to effect replenishment of filling and is prevented from effecting such lateral movement by engagement of the feeler with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, and means connected to the feeler for effecting replenishment of filling.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler which is mounted for movement toward the front of the loom on each detecting beat regardlessv of the amount of filling in the shuttle, a deflector, means for independently supporting the deflector and feeler, interengaging inclined parts between the feeler and defiector which tend to effect movement of the feeler longitudinally along the filling carrier on veach detecting beat andV which are prevented from effecting such movement of the feeler by engagement of the feeler with the filling on each detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of the filling.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for frontward and lateral movements, a defiector mounted for frontward movement and having ay laterally inclined portion which crosses the feeler when the latter is in normal position, and a part carried by the feeler which bears upon said inclined portion of the deflector as the feeler is pushed frontwardly on a detecting beat and which tends to impart lateral movement to the feeler and effect such lateral movement when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted for longitudinal and lateral movements on the stand and having a lateral guideway, a deflector mounted for longitudinal movement on the feeler stand and having a laterally-extending inclined portion that passes through the lateral guideway of the feeler, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is moved laterally due to the frontward pressure upon it and the inclined portion of the deflector.y Y

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler stand, a feelerl mounted on the stand, and having a lateral opening, and a defiector yhaving a laterally inclined end portion extending through the lateral opening of the feeler and acting to effect lateral movement of theffeeler by the frontward pressure of the feeler against said inclined end portion when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of feeler stand, a feeler y mounted on the stand and having a lateral opening. a defiector having a laterally inclined end portion extending through the lateral opening of the fee'ler and acting to effect lateral movement yof the feeler by the frontward pressure of the feeler against said inclined end portion when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, anda stop on the deflector for limiting the lateral movement ofthe feeler, and

means for effectingv replenishment of filling when the feeler is moved laterally.

7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, ak feeler mounted on the stand and having a lateral opening, a deflector having a laterally inclined end portion extending through the lateral opening of the feeler and acting to effect lateral movement of thev feeler by the frontward pressure of 'the feeler against said inclined end portion when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beatq and a stop onthe deflector at each sideof the feeler for limiting its lateral movements.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having a laterally extending guideway, and a deflector having a laterally extending inclined portion passing through said guideway for moving the feelcr laterally in one direction as the feeler is moved frontwardly and for moving it laterally in the opposite direction as the feeler moves rearwardly, and means actuated by lateral movement of the feeler in one direction for effecting replenishment of filling.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand, a deliector mounted on the stand substantially parallel to the feeler and having a rearwardly inclined end portion which passes through the feeler in a direction inclined to its longitudinal axis, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is, moved laterally by the inclined end portion of the deflector on a detecting beat.

l0. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler whiclris mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom on each detecting beat regardless of' the amount of filling on the filling carrier in the shuttle, a deflector, interengaging lcam portions on the feeler and deflector which, under the frontward pressure on a detecting beat, tend to cause the feeler to move along the filling carrier to effect re-y ing is substantially exhausted, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the deflector succeeds in moving the feeler along the filling carrier. Y

ll. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler which is mounted for movement toward and form the front of the loom on each detecting beat regardless of the amount of filling on the filling carrier in the shuttle, a defiector,interengaging Icam portions on the feeler and defiector which, under the frontward pressure on a detecting beat, tend to cause the feeler to move along the lilling carrier to effect replenishment of lling, but are prevented from effecting such movement until the lling is substantially exhausted, stops for limiting the amplitude of movement effected by the cam portions, and means for effecting replenishment of filling When the deflector succeeds in moving the feeler along the filling carrier.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

